India, reigning Asian champions, commenced their Uber Cup journey with a commanding 4-1 victory over Canada in the Group A clash held at Chengdu, China, on Saturday.
Despite the absence of key singles and doubles players, a youthful Indian squad led by Ashmita Chaliha rose to the occasion, delivering a stellar performance. Chaliha, a left-handed shuttler ranked 53rd in the world, showcased her resilience by defeating Canada’s Michelle Li, who sits 28 spots above her in the rankings, with a scoreline of 26-24, 24-22 in a thrilling 42-minute encounter. Chaliha’s victory saw her fend off a total of six game points across both games, highlighting her determination and skill.
Following Chaliha’s triumph, the Indian duo of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra extended India’s lead with a convincing 21-12, 21-10 win over Catherine Choi and Jeslyn Chow in the doubles match.
Isharani Baruah further solidified India’s position by securing a comprehensive victory over Wen Yu Zhang, triumphing with scores of 21-13, 21-12 in just 29 minutes, thus securing an insurmountable lead for India.
Canada managed to notch their first point of the encounter when Jackie Dent and Crystal Lai overcame Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker with a score of 21-19, 21-15 in the second doubles rubber.
Anmol Kharab, a standout performer in India’s victorious Asian Team Championship campaign, concluded the tie emphatically with a commanding 21-15, 21-11 victory over Eliana Zhang.
Meanwhile, the Indian men’s team is set to commence their title defense in the Thomas Cup against Thailand in Group C later in the day.
